Artificial flower article



P 1951 B. F. MILLER ET AL ARTIFICIAL FLOWER ARTICLE Filed Feb. 16, 1948 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE 'ARTIFICIAL FLOWER ARTICLE Beulah F. Miller and Bessie S. Owen, Cleveland, Ohio; Beulah Fay Miller administratrix of said Bessie S. Owen, deceased Application February 16, 1948, Serial No. 8,663

3 Claims.

The object of this invention is to produce a novel form of flower-like ornament for many different uses, including personal wear, and particularly designed for use in conjunction with feminine apparel as a dress ornament, or to be worn in the hair, and for like uses.

It is common today to utilize ornaments of the general character of our invention, namely those made of fabric material in imitation of different flowers, such as roses, chrysanthemums, or the like, the same frequently sewn upon dresses or similar apparel, and even secured in the hair for decorative purposes. Such ornaments today are ready-made, the petal-like parts simulating the flower being customarily permanently stitched together, and once assembled intheir final condition susceptible of use by pinning or sewing on garments or holding in place in the hair by suitable pin means, as well known. Flower-like ornaments of this kind as made today by ordinary practice are quite expensive and the use thereof is limited to a certain extent because of the permanent assembly of the parts; also such ornaments can be cleaned only with great difliculty and by time-taking methods because the various parts are connected in the permanent manner suggested and portions thereof are practically inaccessible for cleaning purposes.

Now in the carrying out of our invention, we have in mind to produce what might be characterized as a sectional construction of such flowerlike ornament as above referred to, involving a principal section that is made up of a continuous piece of tape to which a series of petal-like members are attached, such members simulating by their shape and coloring, if color is desired, the flower imitated thereby, such as a rose or the like. The mode of assembly of the parts of the section just mentioned which is composed of the tape and petal-like members is unique in that the latter members are stitched or otherwise attached to the tape at intervals longitudinally of the latter, preferably with overlapping of the petal members, depending on the flower to be imitated. In addition to the section of the imitation flower ornament above referred to, We employ a center member in imitation of the center of the flower which is to be simulated, from which center member extend end portions of a tape, at the extremities of which preferably are leaf-like members, carrying out the idea of flower simulation.

The two sections of the ornament as above outlined are assembled peculiarly by winding of the petal carrying tape around the tape extending from the center member, at the base or rear Ill) of the center member, so that the latter will ultimately assume a position as the center portion of the flower being simulated in the formation of the ornament of our invention. Then, by tying the ends of the petal carrying tapeor otherwise securing the same after the tape has been wound by continuous winding action in the manner above mentioned, the assembled sections of the flower ornament will be complete and ready to secure, preferably detachably, or otherwise, to a dress, if desired, to be worn, or attached to a pin or other means of anchoring the ornament in the hair of the wearer, if such use is desired. Under some conditions when the sections of our ornament have been assembled in the manner stated, they may be held attached to one another by temporarily stitching or even by application of pins.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that by our method of forming the flower ornament of the character described after the ornament has been worn some time and becomes soiled to a greater or less degree, it may be disassembled very quick- 1y by simply removing the fastening means con-- necting the assembled sections and unwinding the petal tape, under which conditions the latter, along with the petal-like members carried thereby, may be washed orv cleaned very readily and laid out flat for ironing, In the same manner. the center member, which also carries tape parts to which are preferably attached the leaf-like members, may be readily cleaned and-ironed. Under the conditions when the cleaning operation is completed, the ornament may be re-assembled and used again an indefinite number of time sat the whim or wish of the wearer.

So far as we are aware, there are no flowerlike ornaments of the class mentioned above that are susceptible of being assembled and dis-assembled along the lines set forth in the above paragraphs, with the resultant advantages mentioned.

Our invention as above set forth is not necessarily confined to use for apparel attachment purposes or hair ornament, because the artificial flower-like ornaments mentioned are suitable for other ornamenting purposes. An example of an additional use, for instance, is in connection with curtains, as tie-backs, where due to the nature of the curtain material flower-like ornaments would be appropriately employed. Another use of the invention would be in conjunction with lamp shades where the invention may be employed with the sections above referred to assembled as a flower-like ornament, or, if desired, the

3 petal section including its tape may actually be used alone as a trim feature for a lamp shade by being wrapped around the shade whilst the tape is relatively flat against the latter. In such use the center member previously mentioned would be dispensed with.

Still another use of our invention may be said to be that wherein itis employed, practically speaking, as a hat, said ornaments today being in vogue for this purpose and employed entirely separate from any head covering in the usual sense. 7

From a merchandising viewpoint our invention affords unique advantages in that the petal-like section comprising the petal members and tape may be supplied in many different colors susceptible of individual selection by the prospective user, and they may be made by quantity production methods by cutting out in manifoldnumbers the various petal-like members in substantially uniform shape.

The process of assembling the petal-like members with their carrying tape is simple in that by merely folding the tape transversely upon itself the members may be stitched in between the folded portions of the tape and thus permanently attached to the latter without interfering with the cleaning advantages that have been before noted. The center member with its attached tape and leaf-like members secured to the tape ends may be produced in quantities too, and this center member may, and usually will, constitute an ornament so that in merchandising the. section comprising the center member, various kinds of ornaments may be used, provided in different colors that will harmonize with the colors of the petal-like members of the main section. The user may thus select different combinations of the center sections and the petal-lik member sections of our ornament and as time goes on may use these different combinations for the several purposes herein mentioned, interchanging them at will under certain conditions. This facility of our invention is of high importance from a practical viewpoint of use due to the variety obtainable in the various assemblages in the sections-of the article.

A full understanding of this invention will be had by referring to the following detail description and accompanying drawings, in the latter of which:

Figure 1 is a laid out or plan view of the petallike member section and its carrying tap in the condition in which this section may be vended, and may be handled preliminary to assembling or use for its final purpose.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the center section alone.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showin the mannor of winding the petal member section relatively to the center section, looking from the rear, the winding being incomplete to bring out the arrangement of the parts a little more clearly.

Figure 4 is a view showing the ornament as completed according to our invention, looking towarid the front of the same with the parts assemble Figure 5 is a view showing a modified form of center: section particularly useful when the final ornament is to be employed for use as a hat substitute.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken about on the line 6-5 of Figure 1, bringing out the. mode of attachment of the petal-like mambers to the tape of the petal section.

The petal section of our ornament article will be first described. By reference to Figure 1 and Figure 6 it will be observed that this section comprises the long tape member I to which a series of petal members 2 are attached. The mode of attachment may be varied, but, as shown, is effected by folding the tape i transversely upon itself throughout its entire length,..ins'erting the base portions of the petal-like member 2 between the folds, and then stitching the said parts together as by means of the line of stitching designated. 3. At the ends of the tape member I we provide fabric elements shaped in imitation of leaves of a. plant, and these parts are hereinafter called leaf. member and designated 4. The members t may be stitched to the extremities of the tape member I. The tape member I may be of different lengths and has attached thereto different numbers of petal members 2, this depending somewhat on the size of the artificial flower which is to be made by means of the invention. The various petal members 2 may have uneven. edges, or their edges may be out upon definite curves, as

' may be desired, or required, to simulate the petals of a certain kind of flower, this being immaterial to the invention, Said members 2 may likewise be produced in large numbers in manufacture, as by cutting simultaneously many layers of iabric from which the members 2. .are produced.

Referring to Figures 2 and 4, especially Figure 2, the latter figure shows a unit which we call the center member, comprising the button-like part 5 which may be of an ornamental nature in reference to its finish, and which may be such as to simulate the center of the flower which is to be made by combining the petal section and center section of our article. Attached to the back of the center member 5 is a relatively short strip of tape 6 sewed or otherwise secured to the part 5 and having attached to the ends of the same leaf-like members i. The member '5, as well as the leaf members 4 may be green in color so as to have the degree of simulation of leaves of a plant as simulated in the combination of the tape section with the petals and center section comprising the parts 5, 6, and t.

Figure 3 depicts after a. manner the way in which the two sections of our article are combined. The combining operation consists largely in causing the tape portion 6' of the center section to be extended laterally from the back of the center member 5 and then causing the tape l to be wound or rolled fiatwise, as distinguished from edgewise, around thetape portion 5 approximately at the point of the'juncture or connection to the part 5. This operation may also be de scribed by stating that the tape l is wound in a spiral coil of increasing diameter, around the tape portion 6. The winding operation may be started by placing one end of the tape member i adjacent to the rearwardly or laterally extending tape parts of the tape 6 and then continuously winding the .tape l around such tape part 6 after the manner indicated at A in Figure 3. When the tape member 5 has been fully wound relatively to the tape parts 5- in the manner stated, the ends of the tape member i may be tied if desired, or they may be pinned or temporarily sewed in their wound formation. At such time the combining of the sections of our article will be completed, and the end parts of the tape of the center section will extend away from the base of the flower body which is simulated by the grouping or collecting together of the petal memers Z in overlapping relation on winding of the tape l in the operation above explained, said petal members being bent or extended at an angle to the plane of the tape, thus to make for realistic simulation of a flower. Under some conditions, when such portions of the tape l at the ends thereof are left free, the leaf members 4 will be exposed as well as the leaf members 1 of the center section so as to increase the imitative effect intended thereby to be produced as respects the type of flower which is being simulated.

After the flower-like article has been made in the manner suggested and has been worn to some extent it will become soiled, and then, by simply disconnecting the center section and the petal section of the flower, the tape i may be unwound and the petal section may be laundered or cleaned, as well as the center section parts 6 and I, whereupon the article may be re-assembled with facility in the manner previously described.

Figure 4 illustrates the general appearance of the ornament flower-like article of our invention after assembling the sections thereof and viewing the same from the front.

In Figure 5 I have shown a center section unit which comprises precisely the features shown in Figure 2 and with which the flower or petalsection 2 may be assembled to have the appearance of the article of Figure 4.

By securing a piece of elastic cord 8 at the ends of the tapes carrying the leaves I of the center member, as seen in Figure 5, said ends denoted 6 the center member may be used as a band-like part to resiliently embrace the head of the wearer, and the flower section l--2 when connected with the article shown in Figure 5 will provide a flower hat such as commonly worn by ladies today.

If desired, the tape 1' while being wound in the manner shown in Figure 3, may be caused to interlace with the teeth of a small comb, and when so interlaced effectively connected with the comb so that the latter may be used as the means of holding our artificial flower ornament in the hair of the person wearing the same. This is only one of the many uses to which our invention may be put, and we have previously referred herein to the utility of our article as above described for use as tie-backs for curtains or draperies.

Should it be desired to use the unit as shown in Figure 1 alone, in conjunction with lamp -shades, it may be applied to the latter by causing the tape l to encircle the shade at its top, lower edge, or intermediate its edges, and lightly stitching the petal member thus used in place. Or, if a very long tape l with numerous petal-like members 2 is employed, it is obvious that the unit of Figure 1 may be wound many times around a lamp shade body or the like and produce concentric petal member areas the petal members of which overlie each other lengthwise of the tape l and overlap one another vertically on the shade on which they are used for deriving various ornamental effects.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an ornament comprising a flat tape combined with petallike members extending laterally therefrom normally substantially in the plane of and attached to the tape at the adjacent base portions of said members, said tape being disposed in a spiral coil and having the petal-like members bent therefrom at an angle to the plane of the tape, said petal-like members being attached to the tape so as to overlap one another and simulate the petals of a flower.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an ornament comprising a flat tape combined with petallike members extending laterally therefrom normally substantially in the plane of and attached to the tape at the adjacent base portions of said members, said tape being disposed in a spiral coil and having the petal-like members bent therefrom at an angle to the plane of the tape, said petal-like members overlapping one another and simulating the vpetals of a flower, the ex- ,trernities of the tape having attached thereto leaf -sirnulating parts.

3. An artificial flower of the class described, comprising, in combination, a center section including a center member and tape parts connected to the rear side thereof, and a petal section comprising a flat tape disposed in a spiral coil and detachably applied to the tape parts of the center section, and including petal like members grouped around the center member at an angle to the plane of the petal section tape.

BEULAH F. MILLER. BESSIE S. OWEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 659,937 Olden Oct. 16, 1900 1,568,859 Rosas Jan. 5, 1926 1,587,294 Gallagher June 1, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 31,902 Switzerland Mar. 6, 1905 

